We are loving, ‘AI was asked to create images of Black African docs treating white kids. How'd it go?’

In a recent NPR article, we delved into an intriguing experiment conducted by researcher Arsenii Alenichev, who attempted to use Midjourney, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) image generator to challenge the traditional portrayal of 'white saviours and suffering Black kids.' The goal was simple yet profound: create images of Black African doctors caring for white children. If you are wondering?how the experiment went, well, it did not.?

Arsenii’s experiment to flip the script by showing Black African doctors taking care of white kids using AI seemed simple enough until he realized that AI could only provide images of ‘Black African doctors’ or ‘white suffering children’ but never both. It appeared that “it was the combination of those two requests that was problematic.” Other attempts?produced different results including images of African wildlife like giraffes and elephants placed haphazardly next to Black physicians. In a nutshell, whilst it could easily depict ‘white doctors’ and ‘suffering black children,’ it?struggled to conceive a world where Black African doctors are taking care of suffering white children. ?

These results are problematic because they do not depict an authentic reality but rely on and perpetuates the ‘white saviour’ stereotype?that Africa can only be helpless and in need of saving.?Yet, Africa boasts?a diverse, modern healthcare landscape. Beyond its traditional African healers, there are millions of contemporary medical professionals from the continent making significant contributions to global healthcare. For example, Dr. Denis Mukwege, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, won the Nobel Peace Prize for helping people who were affected by sexual violence. The reality is that in healthcare as in other ramifications, Africa can solve its own problems.

But this isn't just an AI problem: it's a symptom of a deeper issue ingrained in the way Africa is portrayed in various narratives. Through research, we have found that when outdated and untrue narratives about Africa persist, they impact how the world sees the continent and more importantly, how Africans see themselves. In a global world where these narratives have begun to pervade seemingly impartial technology products like AI image generator, it has become even more necessary to tell better stories and stories better so that Africa can get #BetterRepresentation. ?

At Africa No Filter, we recognize the power of storytelling in shaping perceptions and dismantling stereotypes. We believe it's time to challenge these narratives and pave the way for #BetterRepresentation for Africa. We invite all storytellers, aspiring and experienced alike, to join our campaign in rewriting the African narrative.?

Read the full article here: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/10/06/1201840678/ai-was-asked-to-create-images-of-black-african-docs-treating-white-kids-howd-it-?

Are you a storyteller? Elevate your skills and create progressive African narratives with our storytelling guides, free courses, and Academy workshops. Check our resources for storytellers here: https://africanofilter.org/resources-for-storytellers?

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